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J.P. Beaumont #20
Betrayal of Trust
Seattle investigator J. P. Beaumont investigates a dark and deadly conspiracy At first glance, the video appears to be showing a a teenage girl with dark wavy hair smiles for the camera, a blue scarf tied around her neck. All of a sudden things turn murderous, and the girl ends up dead. It’s as bad as a snuff film can get, and what’s worse, the clip has been discovered on a phone that belongs to the governor of Washington State’s grandson. Fortunately, the governor is able to turn to an old friend, J. P. Beaumont, for help. Along with Mel Soames, Beaumont soon discovers that what initially appears to be a childish prank gone wrong has much deeper implications, reaching into the halls of state government itself. But Mel and Beau must follow this path of corruption to its very end, before more innocent young lives are lost.
344 pages, Hardcover
First published July 5, 2011
About the author
J.A. Jance
125 books3,896 followersJudith Ann Jance is the top 10 New York Times bestselling author of the Joanna Brady series; the J. P. Beaumont series; three interrelated thrillers featuring the Walker family; and Edge of Evil, the first in a series featuring Ali Reynolds. Born in South Dakota and brought up in Bisbee, Arizona, Jance lives with her husband in Seattle, Washington, and Tucson, Arizona.
Series:
* J.P. Beaumont
* Joanna Brady
* Ali Reynolds
* Walker Family
Series:
* J.P. Beaumont
* Joanna Brady
* Ali Reynolds
* Walker Family
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 564 reviews
July 17, 2021
In this 20th book in the 'J.P. Beaumont' series, Detective Beaumont investigates the death of a girl who was apparently the victim of a new fad. The book can be read as a standalone, but knowledge of the characters' background is a plus.
*****
When Governor Marsha Longmire of Washington finds a snuff film on her step-grandson Josh's cell phone she calls her old classmate, Detective J.P. Beaumont (Beau), to investigate.
The snuff film shows the death of a young girl during "the choking game", apparently a fad among some teens.
Beau and his wife Melissa, also a homicide detective, get on the case.
They question Josh, who purports to know nothing about the film. Josh is uneasy however, and further developments suggest he might know more than he admits. 😓
Beau and Melissa soon trace the dissemination of the film to 'Janie's House', a facility where poor or homeless teens can hang out, shower, wash their clothes, have access to computers and cell phones, and so on.
The detectives find that the Governor's family has a connection with the facility since Longmire's daughter - along with some of her private school classmates - volunteer there. They also discover that bullying emails found on Josh's computer were sent from Janie's House.
Additional deaths complicate the case, as does sabotage at Janie's House. With the involvement of the Governor's family the detectives need to tread carefully. Nevertheless, they skillfully navigate the investigation, and the case is resolved in a highly satisfactory manner. 👌
There's also a sub-plot in which Beau finds out more about his father (who died before he was born) and the Texas family he never knew. This helped round out Beau's history but didn't add much to the plot.
The book is well-written with believable characters and interesting twists. Good mystery, highly recommended. 💕
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....
February 7, 2012
I think I have by now made it clear that I am a very great fan of J. A. Jance's novels, even though I have noticed in a few of them, as is the case here, that sometimes her endings seem to be superfluous subplot add-ons that she had originally intended to do more with but ran out either of steam or of publishing space. I don't really have a problem with that, other than that I had expected a more elaborate development of that subplot, which really is independent of and irrelevant to the mainline story.
This novel is the latest (in 2011) installment of the J. P. Beaumont series. Beau and Mel are continuing to enjoy their married life as S.H.I.T. detectives (you have to read one of the books to understand) when Beau gets an unexpected E-mail from a woman down in Texas, who thinks that he may just happen to be the son of her mother's long-lost brother, and would he like to come down to Texas to meet her mother before the latter kicks the bucket? Meanwhile, the Washington State District Attorney, who is their boss's boss, calls them in to do a special job: resolving an issue that involves the step-grandson of the Governor, who just happens to have been one of the girls in Beau's high school class--and who has just found a snuff video on her step-grandson's cellphone. The requirement is obvious: solve the crime but do it in such a way that does not bring embarrassment to the Governor. Unfortunately, …
This novel is the latest (in 2011) installment of the J. P. Beaumont series. Beau and Mel are continuing to enjoy their married life as S.H.I.T. detectives (you have to read one of the books to understand) when Beau gets an unexpected E-mail from a woman down in Texas, who thinks that he may just happen to be the son of her mother's long-lost brother, and would he like to come down to Texas to meet her mother before the latter kicks the bucket? Meanwhile, the Washington State District Attorney, who is their boss's boss, calls them in to do a special job: resolving an issue that involves the step-grandson of the Governor, who just happens to have been one of the girls in Beau's high school class--and who has just found a snuff video on her step-grandson's cellphone. The requirement is obvious: solve the crime but do it in such a way that does not bring embarrassment to the Governor. Unfortunately, …
March 28, 2023
A perfect addition to the cannon of JP Beaumont. I listen to this series and a few books ago we got a new narrator. It has taken me a while to get use to him and finally in this book JA Horne is Beau. There is nothing new in this book as Beau and Mel work together to solve a mystery.
With great characters that I love and great characters I love to hate this series is one of my favorites.
We also get more of an insight in origins of Beau which was really great to read.
With great characters that I love and great characters I love to hate this series is one of my favorites.
We also get more of an insight in origins of Beau which was really great to read.
June 25, 2023
I like all of JA Jance's characters, and JP Beaumont has come a long way--I do like when the character in a long-time series change over time, and that has certainly been true of this one. A solid installment
September 9, 2011
Before saying more, I have to say that this was my first J.A. Jance novel. I would also read the book again, so I thought it was a good read overall.
Something was bothering me the whole time I was reading, and I could not figure out until the very end what it was. The characters were developed well, the plot was good, and the conclusion didn't leave anything to the imagination. In the end, I felt that the book lacked passion. To me, it felt that the author neatly developed the plot and made sure everything was tied up in the end. However, it felt to me like she was not really into writing this book. I do readily admit that I'm probably the only one thinking this.
I also thought the book was lacking in action. While I'm not necessarily a reader that needs a Michael Bayesque type of book to read it, I think an occassional action scene can help the reader to refocus on the analysis done by the detectives, of which I thought there was too much.
Lastly, I thought the family connection was superfluous in the book, but this is probably because I haven't read the other novels and was not familiar with the characters from the beginning. I will definitely read another Jance novel and hope to make that connection then.
Something was bothering me the whole time I was reading, and I could not figure out until the very end what it was. The characters were developed well, the plot was good, and the conclusion didn't leave anything to the imagination. In the end, I felt that the book lacked passion. To me, it felt that the author neatly developed the plot and made sure everything was tied up in the end. However, it felt to me like she was not really into writing this book. I do readily admit that I'm probably the only one thinking this.
I also thought the book was lacking in action. While I'm not necessarily a reader that needs a Michael Bayesque type of book to read it, I think an occassional action scene can help the reader to refocus on the analysis done by the detectives, of which I thought there was too much.
Lastly, I thought the family connection was superfluous in the book, but this is probably because I haven't read the other novels and was not familiar with the characters from the beginning. I will definitely read another Jance novel and hope to make that connection then.
June 18, 2020
Another good addition to the J.P. Beaumont series. Some of the issues dealt with were the disturbing distribution of snuff tapes, discovery of bodies perhaps related to the tapes, blended family challenges, children/young people with privilege and those without. In addition sexual abuse, bullying and abrupt realities of owning up to ones involvement in crimes initially meant only to disturb an innocent guy.
Of course Beaumont and his extended team managed to ferret out all the loose ends and see those responsible for crimes brought to justice. Isn't that what they do best?
Towards the end 'Beau' got drawn into a several personal issue(s), which left me with a keen interest in following up in Jance's next book.
Of course Beaumont and his extended team managed to ferret out all the loose ends and see those responsible for crimes brought to justice. Isn't that what they do best?
Towards the end 'Beau' got drawn into a several personal issue(s), which left me with a keen interest in following up in Jance's next book.
July 18, 2021
VERDICT: 1.85 stars.
More of a cozy mystery than a thriller. A good bit of unecessary (and dull) detail, and a irrelevant subplot.
SAY SOMETHING NICE: The initial crime was interesting. Book does not end on a cliffhanger.
SPOILER MAY FOLLOW:
.
.
.
AGGRAVATION: Good luck guessing the villain early on. .
More of a cozy mystery than a thriller. A good bit of unecessary (and dull) detail, and a irrelevant subplot.
SAY SOMETHING NICE: The initial crime was interesting. Book does not end on a cliffhanger.
SPOILER MAY FOLLOW:
.
.
.
AGGRAVATION: Good luck guessing the villain early on. .
September 30, 2023
I am surprised that I am rating this so high as the plot synopsis did not appeal. But Jance is THAT good of a writer :)
December 23, 2021
REVIEW OF AUDIOBOOK; DECEMBER 22, 2021
Narrator: J.R. Horne
It had been awhile since I picked a J A Jance book but each time I do, I know I will get a decent story, well-executed and no unrealistic behavior to irk me. And so it was with this 20th installment of the J P Beaumont series.
The book follows the blurb and there are no odd swings in another direction or the addition of characters or events unconnected to the plot but merely for padding. I was engaged throughout the book and can say that Ms Jance is able to take a simple plot and run with it though the storyline here seems simple at first - Josh is clearly the perp. Until he isn't.
Narration-wise, I am glad it was not Gene Engene narrating, as he did for all the previous books until book 14. He gives the books a very dated feel because of his cadence and it's the only negative in what is one of my favorite murder mystery series.
Narrator: J.R. Horne
It had been awhile since I picked a J A Jance book but each time I do, I know I will get a decent story, well-executed and no unrealistic behavior to irk me. And so it was with this 20th installment of the J P Beaumont series.
The book follows the blurb and there are no odd swings in another direction or the addition of characters or events unconnected to the plot but merely for padding. I was engaged throughout the book and can say that Ms Jance is able to take a simple plot and run with it though the storyline here seems simple at first - Josh is clearly the perp. Until he isn't.
Narration-wise, I am glad it was not Gene Engene narrating, as he did for all the previous books until book 14. He gives the books a very dated feel because of his cadence and it's the only negative in what is one of my favorite murder mystery series.
December 30, 2019
J P Beaumont and Mel are shown a photo video of a girl being strangled on the phone of the step-grandson, Josh, of the governor of the their state. While they are looking for the dead girl, Josh commits suicide and they find out the girl was actually killed later. A side line to the main story is the finding of J P Beaumont's family and his bad knees.
October 29, 2021
Two-haiku review:
Governor's problem
Snuff film on step-grandson's phone
Then people dying
Mean girls to extreme
And privileged kids thinking
No consequences
Governor's problem
Snuff film on step-grandson's phone
Then people dying
Mean girls to extreme
And privileged kids thinking
No consequences
January 1, 2016
I’ve waited years for this book and it didn’t disappoint. We finally learned about Beau’s father’s side of the family. Beau’s dad’s parents were cut from the same cloth as his mom’s parents: hard core mean and filled with religious rage and hate.
Beau’s cousin, his dad’s sister’s daughter, finds old letters of her mom’s that had been intercepted by her mom’s mother talking about Beau and his mother. Her mother is dying from cancer so she thought what could be a better present than meeting her beloved brother’s son. She sends Beau an email.
Beau is not sure how to respond so he asks his attorney to look into the matter. Beau’s attorney learns that the cousin is on the up-and-up and encourages Beau to get in touch with her. Beau delays contacting his cousin until he solves his latest case
Betrayal of Trust had everything a reader would want in a police thriller: drama, deflection, suspense, a believable story with well developed characters and good editing. Fans of the series will enjoy Betrayal of Trust while first time readers will want to go back and read every book in the series.
J.R. Horne performance held us enthralled He captured the personalities and emotions of all the characters.
May 4, 2024
So glad to get to venture along with J.P. Beaumont. It seems I have missed out on at least one or two previous books. I will have to go back and retrace and read missing pieces.
It is fun to see Beaumont moved into the technology age, and is using modern conveniences. Also funny when his co-hort mention Twitty I laughed out loud.
Troubled kids and long lost cousin add to the adventure.
Love the return of Harry I. Ball, and wondered how long it would be before Ralph Ames turned up.
I have to say I love Mel's magical handbag, I want one just like it. Hopefully it would be as well stocked.
The plot of poor little spoiled rich kids and their bullying was something I liked to see addressed.
I liked that at least one group of adults stood for what is right.
Thank you, J.A. Jance! Wonderful way to spend a hot summer afternoon.
It is fun to see Beaumont moved into the technology age, and is using modern conveniences. Also funny when his co-hort mention Twitty I laughed out loud.
Troubled kids and long lost cousin add to the adventure.
Love the return of Harry I. Ball, and wondered how long it would be before Ralph Ames turned up.
I have to say I love Mel's magical handbag, I want one just like it. Hopefully it would be as well stocked.
The plot of poor little spoiled rich kids and their bullying was something I liked to see addressed.
I liked that at least one group of adults stood for what is right.
Thank you, J.A. Jance! Wonderful way to spend a hot summer afternoon.
August 8, 2017
Not having read any of the previous books I was able to build a full picture of the characters with the descriptions given. This story works as part of a series or a stand alone. The characters were interesting and the plot intriguing. I enjoyed the author's writing style and will be looking into reading other books in the series.
October 2, 2018
I've been reading this series from the beginning and it still holds up. In fact this may be my favorite book in the series so far. It is the perfect balance of horrible crimes, and great character development. We also finally get to learn about the main character's paternal parentage at the same time he does.
July 3, 2018
J.P. Beaumont and his wife, Mel Soames, are called by their boss, Ross Connors, to report to him immediately. They meet in a coffee shop near Ross' office and he shows them a video, that may or may not be a snuff film. The catch? It is on the phone of the governor's step-grandson. As Beau and Mel investigate, they begin to question if the film is real, but then the body of the young woman who was filmed turns up. Except she has only been dead a shorter time frame than the film indicates. The young man commits suicide. The governor's daughters appear to be involved in some manner, connected to the dead girl through their volunteer work at a local shelter for runaways in Olympia WA. Meanwhile, Beau has been contacted, out of the blue, by a woman who claims to be his cousin, from Beaumont TX, the place Beau's mother always told him his father came from before he enlisted in the Navy and got killed in a motorcycle accident before Beau was born. Jance writes nice twisty plots with few loose ends. I always enjoy checking in with Beau to see how his life is going. I am looking forward to finding out more about his long-lost family.
February 5, 2018
It was a very nice read. I enjoyed it a lot, even though it took me some time to read it. I am guessing this book is part of a series. i will have to find the rest hopefully they are entertaining as this one was.
October 29, 2017
Not one of the best in this series, but still a good story. I love the characters!
January 30, 2019
It started with a Snuff film.
June 14, 2020
Another great book from this series. Also enjoyed the tear jerking great character development for JP Beaumont.
May 26, 2019
I've read Joanna Brady novels by this author. This is the first J P Beaumont. I enjoyed it more than the Brady books.
November 27, 2019
This was an excellent, multifaceted story! Well done, Jance!
March 12, 2017
This was the first book I have read by this author. It kept my interest and kept me guessing. It made me want to read more.
February 5, 2014
I love J. A. Jance's several series, but the one featuring homicide detective J. P. Beaumont is my favorite. For some reason I can identify with him. He's had a tough life beginning with a childhood in poverty and no father. His mother was rejected by family when she discovered she was pregnant shortly after her sailor boyfriend died. His family refused to have anything to do with her either, so she struggled to raise him alone. (My childhood was lovely, thank you.)
Only recently has he had a wonderful life, since he married Mel Soames, another homicide detective. They work for the Special Homicide Investigative Team with its unfortunate acronym, as partners. Their skills complement each other's.
In this case they are assigned to a hush-hush problem in the governor's mansion. Josh, the governor's step-grandson, had been brought to live in the mansion after his mother died of an overdose. Obviously he has had a horrid life, and he's a troubled teen. The governor's two teenage daughters have differing reactions to his presence, but he ignores them anyway. He is caught coming home after a night out without permission. The guv confiscates his phone as punishment and discovers a snuff film on it. She immediately calls the Attorney General.
Thus begins a story of two sorts of teens, the rich kids who get away with anything, and the poor kids from terrible homes who frequently are their victims. Also there is Janie's House founded by a woman who desperately wants to lift the poor kids out of the cycle of poverty they were born into. The house provides washers and dryers, computers, cell phones, and other necessities of modern life that those kids lack. It's meant as a safe place where they can improve their lives.
I don't want to give away anything else because this is an excellent homicide case and our detectives are both shrewd and compassionate throughout. We also learn something surprising about Beaumont's background that will totally floor him.
Highly recommended
Source: purchased from amazon.com
Only recently has he had a wonderful life, since he married Mel Soames, another homicide detective. They work for the Special Homicide Investigative Team with its unfortunate acronym, as partners. Their skills complement each other's.
In this case they are assigned to a hush-hush problem in the governor's mansion. Josh, the governor's step-grandson, had been brought to live in the mansion after his mother died of an overdose. Obviously he has had a horrid life, and he's a troubled teen. The governor's two teenage daughters have differing reactions to his presence, but he ignores them anyway. He is caught coming home after a night out without permission. The guv confiscates his phone as punishment and discovers a snuff film on it. She immediately calls the Attorney General.
Thus begins a story of two sorts of teens, the rich kids who get away with anything, and the poor kids from terrible homes who frequently are their victims. Also there is Janie's House founded by a woman who desperately wants to lift the poor kids out of the cycle of poverty they were born into. The house provides washers and dryers, computers, cell phones, and other necessities of modern life that those kids lack. It's meant as a safe place where they can improve their lives.
I don't want to give away anything else because this is an excellent homicide case and our detectives are both shrewd and compassionate throughout. We also learn something surprising about Beaumont's background that will totally floor him.
Highly recommended
Source: purchased from amazon.com
February 25, 2015
Nel 2011 viene pubblicato per la prima volta l’ennesimo romanzo di una serie che vede come protagonista una coppia che lotta contro il crimine. Sono i coniugi Jonas Piemonte Beaumont, meglio noto come J.P., e sua moglie Melissa Soames, o Mel. In realtà, lei è la sua terza moglie, ma poco importa se c’è feeling durante le indagini. In questo nuovo bestseller, qualcosa modifica la normale routine di coppia e li coinvolge in un’indagine particolarmente scottante poiché include una famiglia molto in vista, quella del governatore dello Stato di Washington. Il signor e la signora Beaumont sono pronti a fare, ancora una volta, qualcosa fuori dal comune.
La loro indagine inizia con un filmato su un cellulare. Una ragazzina sorridente con una sciarpa blu al collo viene strangolata da mani misteriose. È uno snuff movie in piena regola. È pane per i denti di J.P. Beaumont e della sua partner, Mel.
La loro speciale squadra investigativa è particolare, ma funziona alla perfezione. Ecco perché i casi di omicidio più delicati vengono assegnati a loro. Il cellulare appartiene al nipote del governatore dello stato di Washington, un ragazzo con una storia tormentata alle spalle. L’evidenza dei fatti sembra incastrare proprio il ragazzo, ma l’indagine non è semplice come sembra. Anzi. È destinata a scoperchiare un abisso di orrori che solo la coppia Beaumont può gestire per portare alla luce la sordida realtà.
Questa indagine, dopo tante già svolte insieme, ha comunque qualcosa di originale e mai visto. La scrittrice J.A. Jance ha saputo, ancora una volta, sorprendere piacevolmente e interessare i suoi lettori più affezionati, confezionando una detective story in piena regola.
November 20, 2012
This thriller set in Washington state involves many issues. The state governor is shocked when she finds what appears to be a snuff video on her young ward's cellphone. She realizes she needs to know more, but she wants to avoid a media onslaught.
She calls the Attorney General for assistance and he brings in two officers from his Special Homicide Investigation Team, J.P. Beaumont and his partner (and wife) Mel Soames. These two are highly skilled, with lots of experience and work well together.
The first task is identifying the young girl in the video and a hunt is on for missing persons. The trail leads to a more remote part of the state, and back to the capital again. With a focus on young people, bullying and abuse of privilege, this is a story that speaks to an issue that is in the news more and more.
The story is told from Beaumont's point of view, and issues take him back to his own teen years, growing up with a single mother. At the same time as the case is happening, Beaumont is contacted by someone claiming to be his father's sister's daughter. Since his own mother didn't reveal his father's information to him, except to name him after his father's hometown, Beaumont, Texas, Beaumont is unsure about trusting this sudden revelation.
Another case of personal and professional development in the life of a police officer. Interesting mentions of the realities of different police working with each other, and the necessities of facing up to hard facts in order to make true progress.
She calls the Attorney General for assistance and he brings in two officers from his Special Homicide Investigation Team, J.P. Beaumont and his partner (and wife) Mel Soames. These two are highly skilled, with lots of experience and work well together.
The first task is identifying the young girl in the video and a hunt is on for missing persons. The trail leads to a more remote part of the state, and back to the capital again. With a focus on young people, bullying and abuse of privilege, this is a story that speaks to an issue that is in the news more and more.
The story is told from Beaumont's point of view, and issues take him back to his own teen years, growing up with a single mother. At the same time as the case is happening, Beaumont is contacted by someone claiming to be his father's sister's daughter. Since his own mother didn't reveal his father's information to him, except to name him after his father's hometown, Beaumont, Texas, Beaumont is unsure about trusting this sudden revelation.
Another case of personal and professional development in the life of a police officer. Interesting mentions of the realities of different police working with each other, and the necessities of facing up to hard facts in order to make true progress.
September 14, 2019
THIS SUMMARY/REVIEW WAS COPIED FROM OTHER SOURCES AND IS USED ONLY AS A REMINDER OF WHAT THE BOOK WAS ABOUT FOR MY PERSONAL INTEREST. ANY PERSONAL NOTATIONS ARE FOR MY RECOLLECTION ONLY
In this 20th book in the 'J.P. Beaumont' series, Detective Beaumont investigates the death of a girl who was apparently the victim of a new fad. The book can be read as a standalone, but knowledge of the characters' background is a plus.
*****
When Governor Marsha Longmire of Washington finds a snuff film on her step-grandson Josh's cell phone she calls her old classmate, Detective J.P. Beaumont (Beau), to investigate. The film shows the death of a young girl during "the choking game", apparently a fad among some teens.
Beau and his wife Melissa, also a homicide detective, get on the case. They question Josh, who purports to know nothing about the film. Josh is uneasy however, and further developments suggest he might know more than he admits. 😓
Beau and Melissa soon trace the dissemination of the film to 'Janie's House', a facility where poor or homeless teens can hang out, shower, wash their clothes, have access to computers and cell phones, and so on. The detectives find that the Governor's family has a connection with the facility since Longmire's daughter - along with some of her private school classmates - volunteer there. They also discover that bullying emails found on Josh's computer were sent from Janie's House.
Additional deaths complicate the case, as does sabotage at Janie's House. With the involvement of the Governor's family the detectives need to tread carefully. Nevertheless, they skillfully navigate the investigation, and the case is resolved in a highly satisfactory manner. 👌
There's also a sub-plot in which Beau finds out more about his father (who died before he was born) and the Texas family he never knew. This helped round out Beau's history but didn't add much to the plot.
**
J.P. Beaumont and his wife, Mel Soames, are called by their boss, Ross Connors, to report to him immediately. They meet in a coffee shop near Ross' office and he shows them a video, that may or may not be a snuff film. The catch? It is on the phone of the governor's step-grandson. As Beau and Mel investigate, they begin to question if the film is real, but then the body of the young woman who was filmed turns up. Except she has only been dead a shorter time frame than the film indicates. The young man commits suicide. The governor's daughters appear to be involved in some manner, connected to the dead girl through their volunteer work at a local shelter for runaways in Olympia WA. Meanwhile, Beau has been contacted, out of the blue, by a woman who claims to be his cousin, from Beaumont TX, the place Beau's mother always told him his father came from before he enlisted in the Navy and got killed in a motorcycle accident before Beau was born. Jance writes nice twisty plots with few loose ends. I always enjoy checking in with Beau to see how his life is going.
***
In this 20th book in the 'J.P. Beaumont' series, Detective Beaumont investigates the death of a girl who was apparently the victim of a new fad. The book can be read as a standalone, but knowledge of the characters' background is a plus.
*****
When Governor Marsha Longmire of Washington finds a snuff film on her step-grandson Josh's cell phone she calls her old classmate, Detective J.P. Beaumont (Beau), to investigate. The film shows the death of a young girl during "the choking game", apparently a fad among some teens.
Beau and his wife Melissa, also a homicide detective, get on the case. They question Josh, who purports to know nothing about the film. Josh is uneasy however, and further developments suggest he might know more than he admits. 😓
Beau and Melissa soon trace the dissemination of the film to 'Janie's House', a facility where poor or homeless teens can hang out, shower, wash their clothes, have access to computers and cell phones, and so on. The detectives find that the Governor's family has a connection with the facility since Longmire's daughter - along with some of her private school classmates - volunteer there. They also discover that bullying emails found on Josh's computer were sent from Janie's House.
Additional deaths complicate the case, as does sabotage at Janie's House. With the involvement of the Governor's family the detectives need to tread carefully. Nevertheless, they skillfully navigate the investigation, and the case is resolved in a highly satisfactory manner. 👌
There's also a sub-plot in which Beau finds out more about his father (who died before he was born) and the Texas family he never knew. This helped round out Beau's history but didn't add much to the plot.
**
J.P. Beaumont and his wife, Mel Soames, are called by their boss, Ross Connors, to report to him immediately. They meet in a coffee shop near Ross' office and he shows them a video, that may or may not be a snuff film. The catch? It is on the phone of the governor's step-grandson. As Beau and Mel investigate, they begin to question if the film is real, but then the body of the young woman who was filmed turns up. Except she has only been dead a shorter time frame than the film indicates. The young man commits suicide. The governor's daughters appear to be involved in some manner, connected to the dead girl through their volunteer work at a local shelter for runaways in Olympia WA. Meanwhile, Beau has been contacted, out of the blue, by a woman who claims to be his cousin, from Beaumont TX, the place Beau's mother always told him his father came from before he enlisted in the Navy and got killed in a motorcycle accident before Beau was born. Jance writes nice twisty plots with few loose ends. I always enjoy checking in with Beau to see how his life is going.
***
August 17, 2015
This is a first time read for me of author J.A. Jance mystery thriller. When I started "Betrayal of Trust" I wasn't enjoying the chatty get to know the main characters, detective J.P. Beaumont and his partner detective and wife, Mel Soames and almost gave up (might I add too soon). As the crime was introduced and the story went from personal to crime the characters jumped into their roles as focused sleuths. A video reveals what appears to be a game of a pretty teen girl being strangled then quickly changes to be more than a game - a "snuff film". Horrible! To add to the horror it's found on the cell phone of a very troubled young teen guy who is the step-grandson of the state's governor, Marsha Longmire. Solving that while J.P.'s secret past history comes to light gives the reader a must quickly solve crime of a murder as more are being heaped into it and the solving of a J.P. life mystery. The deeper I got into the characters, and presented real enough from snobby rich and powerful, to the toughest and poorest lot in the state of Washington, the more I couldn't put the book down. Definitely this author is on my "what's next?" book list.
May 20, 2013
I've been a loyal reader of J.A. Jance for years. She writes about three totally different characters in three different settings. This one centers on J.P. Beaumont, who may be her original character. I'm not sure about that, however. Interesting that the publisher blurb lists him as a P.I. when he works for the Special Homicide Investigation Team In the state of Washington while based in Seattle.(Yes, look at the acronym, which makes Beaumont and the other characters wince.) Beaumont and his wife Mel work as a team (they married fairly recently in the book series), and in this novel, they are called in to investigate a touchy problem with the governor's step-grandson who may be involved in a snuff murder. As the investigation deepens, the reader cannot help but feel empathy for the troubled teen and sense so much more in this family situation. I've been reading Jance's books for years for a reason! They aren't all that deep, but the detail is good, and they are enjoyable to read and keep me up turning pages.
March 27, 2014
Jance's JP Beaumont detective series is one of my all-time favorites. Set (usually) in my own home town, it carries a gritty yet human, thoroughly believable flavor that I just can't find anywhere else.
In this case, Beaumont is roped into a scandal unfolding at the governor's mansion; it turns out he knows the governor. She was the girl who was too important to talk to him in high school, but now she wants his skill in discreetly looking into some things she'd rather not see on the front page.
It doesn't work out that way.
I accidentally read this twice, but even once I had realized my error, I decided to plow through and finish it a second time. It wasn't that I had no other books; but this series is on my very short list of things I don't mind seeing a second time around.
Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys good detective fiction.
In this case, Beaumont is roped into a scandal unfolding at the governor's mansion; it turns out he knows the governor. She was the girl who was too important to talk to him in high school, but now she wants his skill in discreetly looking into some things she'd rather not see on the front page.
It doesn't work out that way.
I accidentally read this twice, but even once I had realized my error, I decided to plow through and finish it a second time. It wasn't that I had no other books; but this series is on my very short list of things I don't mind seeing a second time around.
Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys good detective fiction.
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